Wild Wild West Australia

My many apologies for neglecting my blog. I’m learning that it takes a fair bit of discipline to stick to these things. Well with that out of the way on with the main event.

Last weekend I went to Kalgoorlie. A very unique “city” of 30,000 located 700km directly inland from Perth. The city sprung up during the gold rush and doesn’t even have it’s own fresh water supply. All it’s water is pumped along a massive pipeline from Perth.

Phil (Lewis not Eely) and I took the Prospector train to the Kalgoorlie. It’s quite a nice train, it’s interior much like the business class section of a Boeing 747. The train is full of interesting Bogans (Australian Hicks) who look like they just finished wrangle snakes and wrestling Crocs in the Outback. The view from the train was quite Australian. Once you get over the Darling Range and past the wheat fields your start to get a taste of the famous Australian Outback. I caught a glimpse of some wild Emus and Kangaroos.

Our first day in Kal we got a personal tour of the Super Pit. The chief production engineer took us in his L.V. , light vehicle (keeping in mind a light vehicle to the mining industry is a Toyota Land Cruiser decked packed to the gills with every off road feature every conceived) down the winding ramp. We got up close to some large Hydraulic shovels and dealt with some CAT 797 traffic (797 are the biggest haul truck, rated at 360 tons of capacity).

Sunday we went to Kanowna Bell underground operation. Our tour guide was an extremely nice French Canadian girl of 24, who was production engineer at the mine. We got a really great tour of the entire operation getting very close to a lot of the different equipment at the mine. We got a lift back to the city by a Russian geotech who had the stereo typical “don’t fuck with me” heir about him that one would expect from a burly Russian. I also saw a road mangled roo, it was quite the site.

Saturday night in Kal was a completely interesting site. Kalgoorlie is essential in the middle of nowhere and is filled with grizzled miners who have to much money and too little class. The main street consist of greasy spoons, saloons and brothels. Yes that’s right brothels have not been formally legalized just allowed to operate in plain view right down town. If you’ve never seen a brothel, from the road it essentially looks like a very cheap motel. The small, identical, purpose built rooms lining the street side reminiscent of cattle pens. Don’t worry Phil and I obviously didn’t go into the brothels. But we did hit every worth while watering hole on the main street. The all female bartending staff at the bars paraded around in their bras and underware. At one fine establishment, a waitress came around with a jug collecting money. I innocently inquired for what noble cause was she collecting. With a straight and ernast face she kindly explained they were raising money to take their tops off (remember you don’t tip for drinks in Australia). I could help but laugh and I think I hurt the poor girls feeling. I later looked up from my drink to realize that indeed they had reach their financial goals and were proudly strutting around topless. The rest of night was filled with large mining men yelling at each other and the quite sad Kalgoorlie “talent” butchering great songs at Karaoke.

And that in essence was my trip to Kal. It is starting to cool down here the high for most days is a dismal 28 degrees. I hope all is going well in the T-dot, K-town and all the other terribly cold places you are all located in. Catch y’all back here real soon.

- Emerson